Zach Randolph

The extras stepped out of the large shadow cast by their co-tenants, the Lakers. The Clippers will always have this one special night in February in which they crafted a memorable upset against the Boston Celtics, beating the defending NBA champions, 93-91, at Staples Center on Wednesday. It was wild. It was emotional. There was heated smacking and shoving -- Mardy Collins and Paul Pierce on the verge of throwing down -- bringing the Clippers coaches off the bench late in the game.

MEMPHIS, Tenn. - The Clippers and Memphis Grizzlies have a history of playing intense, tough, hard-nosed basketball games, during both the regular season and playoffs. That was the case again Friday night, the teams playing down to the wire and the Clippers coming up short in a 102-96 loss to the Grizzlies at the FedEx Forum. To make matters worse for the Clippers, All-Star guard point Chris Paul suffered a sprained right thumb late in the fourth quarter while trying to get a rebound against Marc Gasol.

Memphis 120, at New York 109: Zach Randolph had 31 points and a career-high 25 rebounds against his former team, and the Grizzlies tied a franchise record with their fourth straight road win. Marc Gasol had 25 points, 13 rebounds and eight assists for the Grizzlies, who out-rebounded New York, 52-32. at Utah 133, Houston 110: Deron Williams scored 35 points in 32 minutes as the Jazz routed the defenseless Rockets. Williams was 13 for 17 from the field and had 13 assists and seven rebounds for Utah, which set a season high in points.

MEMPHIS, Tenn. - If this were college football, it would've been the Injury Bowl. The Memphis Grizzlies played without Marc Gasol and Mike Conley, a big problem it turned out, while the Lakers continued to play NBA games without any healthy point guards. When it was over, the Lakers would have been the ones joyfully hoisting a brass trophy of a guy on crutches. Or parading around with a priceless crystal sculpture of a swollen ankle. BOX SCORE: Lakers 96, Memphis 92 They outlasted the Grizzlies, 96-92, Tuesday night, adding just enough feel-good indicators to finish their trip with a 2-2 record.

Memphis 105, at Chicago 96: Zach Randolph scored 31 points and grabbed 18 rebounds, and the Grizzlies rallied from a big first-half deficit. After trailing by 17 in the second quarter, the Grizzlies tied it in the third and finally took control with an 8-0 run late in the fourth that gave them a 97-90 lead. Utah 116, at Phoenix 108: Deron Williams scores 27 points, and Jazz rallies in the fourth quarter. at Miami 114, Lakers 111 (OT) . associated press

LAKERS TONIGHT VS. MEMPHIS When: 7:30. Where: Staples Center. On the air: TV: TWC SportsNet, TWC Deportes; Radio: 710, 1330. Records: Lakers 4-6, Grizzlies 3-5. Record vs. Grizzlies (2012-13): 1-2. Update: Penciled in as a playoff team when the season began, the Grizzlies haven't looked like one. Most recent evidence: a 103-87 loss at home to Toronto. Zach Randolph can become a free agent next season but is off to a poor start, averaging 12.6 points and 8.1 rebounds.

SAN ANTONIO - Surprise, surprise, the Lakers made it to the Western Conference finals. Not really. But they did get repeatedly name-dropped Saturday by the San Antonio Spurs, which made sense considering the frontcourt duo the Spurs face in this round of the playoffs somewhat resembles the Lakers' tandem they quickly dispatched in the first round. Even one of the last names is the same. Instead of Pau Gasol and Dwight Howard, the Spurs must contend with the Memphis Grizzlies' Marc Gasol and Zach Randolph starting Sunday afternoon in Game 1 of the conference finals at AT&T Center.

The Toronto Raptors gave Chris Bosh an early birthday present: a rousing win over the Clippers. Bosh had 16 points and 13 rebounds, Shawn Marion had 14 points and 13 rebounds and the Raptors beat the Clippers, 100-76, Sunday. "When we come out and play the way we did it's fun," said Bosh, who turns 25 on Tuesday. "That's what I think we have to get to now. We just have to have fun playing the game of basketball and the way you have fun is play defense, lock them down and run."

at Memphis 99, Orlando 94: Zach Randolph had 23 points and 19 rebounds, O.J. Mayo scored 20 points and the Grizzlies won their 11th straight home game. Memphis also matched its 24-victory total from last season. Atlanta 102, at Houston 95: Josh Smith had 22 points and 10 rebounds for the Hawks, who won in Houston for the first since Feb. 25, 1999, breaking a string of 10 consecutive losses there. The Rockets have lost seven of their last 11 games. Chicago 98, at San Antonio 93: Derrick Rose had 27 points as the Bulls won their third straight and added another impressive victory over a Western Conference team on their seven-game swing.

at Memphis 102, Denver 96: Zach Randolph had 32 points and a career-high 24 rebounds, the highest total in the NBA this season, and the Grizzlies beat the Nuggets for the first time in nine meetings. Rudy Gay scored 19 for Memphis, Marc Gasol had 14 points and 13 rebounds, and O.J. Mayo and Mike Conley scored 11 apiece. Carmelo Anthony had 41 points for Denver. at Boston 122, Minnesota 104: Paul Pierce scored 29 points and hit all six of his three-point attempts, and the Celtics finished with a season high in points two nights after their winning streak was ended at 11 games.

The Lakers (11-13) wrap up their four-game road trip with a stop in Memphis on Tuesday, visiting the Grizzlies (10-13). Memphis has dropped three straight, struggling to play without center Marc Gasol, who is sidelined with a knee injury. The Lakers lost on Monday night to the Hawks in Atlanta. Their Tuesday night game will be their fourth in five nights. Kobe Bryant is still playing point guard with Jordan Farmar (hamstring), Steve Blake (elbow) and Steve Nash (back) all out with injury.

MEMPHIS, Tenn. - This time, the Clippers played the kind of impressive defense against the Memphis Grizzlies on Thursday night that they failed to play Wednesday night against the Atlanta Hawks. This time, the Clippers were a determined bunch in defeating the Memphis Grizzlies, 101-81, at the FedEx Forum. "It was a good defensive game for us, especially responding after last night's game," said Chris Paul, who had 15 points, eight assists and two steals. GAME SUMMARY: Clippers 101, Grizzlies 81 The Clippers held the Grizzlies to 37.7% shooting, a season low for L.A. opponents.

These are the games where all heads normally turn to Kobe Bryant. Regardless of title - opponent, teammate, fan or hater - everyone in attendance anticipates Bryant's time in the crunch for the Lakers, successful or not. But without him, you get a game like Friday's between the Lakers and Memphis Grizzlies, and a score that didn't favor the home team at Staples Center. GAME SUMMARY: Grizzlies 89, Lakers 86 Zach Randolph was the man on the spot and he delivered with several late plays to push Memphis to an 89-86 victory.

The Memphis Grizzlies closed out a tight game at Staples Center on Friday, defeating the Lakers, 89-86, behind a big performance from Zach Randolph. After Jodie Meeks hit a three-pointer with the Lakers down, 85-81, with 1:20 left, Randolph was able to seal the game with 16.4 seconds left, hitting a driving finger roll around Jordan Hill to put the Grizzlies up three. Steve Blake missed a three-point attempt to tie and Randolph hit a pair of free throws to finish with a game-high 28 points.

LAKERS TONIGHT VS. MEMPHIS When: 7:30. Where: Staples Center. On the air: TV: TWC SportsNet, TWC Deportes; Radio: 710, 1330. Records: Lakers 4-6, Grizzlies 3-5. Record vs. Grizzlies (2012-13): 1-2. Update: Penciled in as a playoff team when the season began, the Grizzlies haven't looked like one. Most recent evidence: a 103-87 loss at home to Toronto. Zach Randolph can become a free agent next season but is off to a poor start, averaging 12.6 points and 8.1 rebounds.

SAN ANTONIO - Stumbling in playoff series openers is nothing new for the Memphis Grizzlies. Of course, they've never experienced the kind of fall they did against the San Antonio Spurs in Game 1 of the Western Conference finals. San Antonio may have left Memphis with a bruised psyche to go with a 105-83 defeat Sunday at the AT&T Center, the Spurs turning the Grizzlies' strengths into glaring shortcomings with the same smart, disciplined approach that has characterized their four championship runs.

MEMPHIS, Tenn. -- The stats don't lie. And in the case of the Clippers, the statistics told so much about why they lost, 94-82, to the Memphis Grizzlies in Game 3 of the Western Conference first-round playoff series on Thursday night at the FedEx Forum. The one statistic that now matters most to both teams is that the Clippers lead this best-of-seven series, 2-1. Game 4 is Saturday back here. After the game, the Clippers had written down many of the stat lines on the grease board inside their locker room.

SAN ANTONIO - Surprise, surprise, the Lakers made it to the Western Conference finals. Not really. But they did get repeatedly name-dropped Saturday by the San Antonio Spurs, which made sense considering the frontcourt duo the Spurs face in this round of the playoffs somewhat resembles the Lakers' tandem they quickly dispatched in the first round. Even one of the last names is the same. Instead of Pau Gasol and Dwight Howard, the Spurs must contend with the Memphis Grizzlies' Marc Gasol and Zach Randolph starting Sunday afternoon in Game 1 of the conference finals at AT&T Center.

It is always easier to be critical when you don't have a dog in the fight, so let's go ahead. The NBA playoffs are in full swing. If we think hard, we in Los Angeles can remember what that's like. People flying purple flags out car windows. The Clippers going past the first round. Close your eyes and savor. Then open them so we can take a hard look at the game and the league that has built such a ga-ga fan base. As popular as it is, the NBA keeps edging closer to pro wrestling.